1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to visible lighting systems, and more specifically, to a projection device for generating visual displays.
2. Background of the Invention
Visible light displays are in use in a multitude of applications. Laser displays are used for entertainment, advertising, education and anywhere that an attention-getting display is desired. In home use, devices such as xe2x80x9cLava Lampsxe2x80x9d and small laser or pseudo-laser halogen lamp-based devices provide entertaining displays that may be synchronized to music, enhancing their effect.
Part of the value of the above-mentioned displays lies in the motion of the light, which is generally protected on a screen or other background. The motion of the light provides an effect that may be soothing (slow, curved paths) or stimulating (fast, sharp paths).
As with most entertainment devices, the existing displays mentioned above, now in use for a considerable period of time, have been seen by many people and their xe2x80x9cnewnessxe2x80x9d has passed. Also, unless considerable effort is expended in programming a laser or similar visual light display, the variety generated by the display will be exhausted by an audience after a reasonably short period of time.
Therefore, it is always desirable to provide a new visible light display that can capture the attention of an audience. It is further desirable to provide a visible light display capable of variations in the visible light that do not require extensive programming to maintain variety.
The above objective of providing a new visible light display that does not require extensive programming is accomplished by a visible light modifier and method. The visible light modifier includes an illumination source, a container partially filled with a fluid refracting medium, and a directing mirror disposed within the fluid refracting medium and positioned at a predetermined angle with respect to the average surface of said fluid refracting medium.
In another embodiment of the invention, illumination source may be a monochromatic source (e.g., a laser), in which case the reflecting mirror projects a beam having patterns generated by passage through the fluid refracting medium and variations generated by motion of the fluid refracting medium. The illumination source alternatively may be multi-chromatic, in which case a projected beam having a separated spectral characteristic is refracted and reflected out of the fluid refracting medium to provide a projected image having an angular distribution of colors that varies due to motion of the fluid refracting medium.
Lenses may be included to further modify the variations in the projected beam and image masks may be used to provide a background image for the color variations. The fluid may be stimulated by external mechanical means, or the visible light modifier may include a mechanical stimulator. Lenses may be mechanically rotated and translated to produce additional variations creating interesting visual displays.
The foregoing and other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular, description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.